I can share all of my greatest healthy eating tips, impart all of my real food wisdom, and encourage you until I fall out of my chair. But the reality is, if eating real food is important to you, and you want to make healthy changes for yourself and for your family – you are going to first need to take your desires to God.
Think God doesn’t have time to listen to your concerns about your picky kids or limited grocery budget? Feel silly asking God for help when it comes to choosing vegetables over potato chips? Figure there are bigger cares to take before the throne than your transition to whole grains and brown rice? Then let me ask you this: How long have you been burdened by the desire to be healthier? How many times have you felt frustrated when you feel like you’ve failed, when your family hasn’t jumped on board with you, or when you’ve slipped back into unhealthy eating habits? God loves you no matter what, and sees you through His eyes of grace. But if you desire to make healthy changes, oh yes, He very much cares and will help you. He knows exactly what your limits are, and He knows exactly what you need. He’s got this!
Case in point: Do you know how long I’ve tried to stop craving and eating too much sugar? (From about the time I turned 6.) Do you know how hard I’ve worked to have self-control when it comes to chocolate? (I mean, it’s chocolate.) Do you know how many times I’ve tried and failed to help my picky eaters make good choices? (Why won’t they just put the cauliflower into their tiny little mouths and chew?)
This is going to sound cliché, but what-ever, because it applies to all areas of life, including chocolate and cauliflower: We can do nothing without God’s help.
If I’ve learned anything the past year, it is that on my own, I am weak and fall short. But when I give up my own control and accept God’s power to work through me, I am incredibly strong. Take it from a (recovering) chocolate, sugar, dessert addict who finally let God take over this weakness a few months ago. I’ve been trying on my own for years. My will power would carry me for a few days, then I’d slip back into my old chocolate-covered habits again. But I’m finally accepting God’s power to work in me with this, which is, without a doubt, so much more amazing than my own pitiful, sugar-coated will power.
Do you want to make healthy changes in your kitchen for yourself and for your family? Then confidently tell God your desires. And none of this worried kind of prayer either. “Oh God, I’m so scared that my kids are going to get scurvy because they won’t eat vegetables. Will you please help?” No, no. God already knows our desires and is our absolute helper. Pray confidently! “God, you know how much I desire for our family to learn to like healthier foods. I know you can work this out for us. I trust You and am excited to see You do this for us!” or “Father, you know our resources are limited, and you also know how eager I am to honor you by staying healthy. I trust you to provide and to show me how to make this work!”
Pray, listen, and confidently accept His gift of peace in this area of your life.
Setting goals is good. Making plans is wise. Becoming excited about making healthy changes is wonderful. But don’t start this new year by making goals and trying to make changes. Start by asking God to do His work in you and in your family. It’s the first step you should take toward making real food a reality!
Obviously, this can be applied to anything you desire – not just a desire to become healthier. Care to share some of your desires for this new year?